Brussels, 01/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Since Poland joined the EU, Warsaw has received €4 billion from cohesion funds, allowing it to invest in developing the city and its greater urban area, the largest in Poland with a population of over 3 million in total.
The lion's share of European funding for infrastructure projects in Warsaw has come from the cohesion fund. Warsaw has received European joint funding of more than €2.1 billion with almost €1.5 billion of that from the cohesion fund. Put differently, for every euro received by the city of Warsaw, 68 cents come from the cohesion fund.
In a press release, EUROCITIES notes that Warsaw will have to face financial difficulties over the period straddling the new financial perspectives 2014-2020, when it may be possible only to spend €250 million annually in infrastructure investment projects from its budget (around one third of current spending). Retaining cohesion funding and access to the European Regional Development Fund and the programmes of the European Social Fund is of the greatest importance for the competitiveness and development of the city. (G.B./transl.rt)